The social lives of many Summit County seniors rely on the good will of volunteer drivers. Like Gail Pace, president of the North Summit senior center board, who says driving is one of his favorite things to do.
“The best thing about that is when we get back [the seniors] always thank me for taking them, for driving, for being safe,” he said.
Pace is one of three volunteer drivers in Coalville, where seniors KPCW spoke with are happy with the number of places they get to visit.
In Park City, which has the largest senior center in the county at over 450 members, it’s a different story.
Summit County provides each center a bus and subsidizes one trip a month to a museum, restaurant, park or other place of interest.
The Park City senior center is allowed to use the bus for additional trips it organizes, but that’s not the issue.
“We can't get bus drivers. We have more programs that we could do if we had someone who could drive our bus more regularly” Park City senior center board member Francie McNally told the Summit County Council Nov. 29.
Board president Cheryl Soshnik says it's important because many seniors struggle with loneliness, an epidemic that only got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pace says drivers help bring seniors out of isolation.
“It just makes your heart swell to hear a thank you from them, that they enjoyed me taking them, me talking to them, because seniors are lonely, especially this time of year,” he said. “It's the holidays.”
The county screens all would-be volunteers before they are approved to help.
Volunteers’ driving records will be checked and they must submit to a drug test. The application is online.
